Critical analysis of ginkgo preparations: comparison of approved drugs and dietary supplements marketed in Germany

Abstract

Demographic change is taking place in the population of western industrialized countries, and the population is aging constantly. As a result, the mortality rate of patients due to dementia is rising steadily. To counteract this, the relevance of neuroprotective agents is increasing. Preparations from the medicinal tree species Ginkgo biloba (“gingko”) are becoming increasingly popular. In this study, 63 ginkgo preparations marketed in Germany were analyzed. The following data were collected from the package inserts of the preparations: Country of manufacture, approval as a drug, compliance to target values of flavone glycosides, compliance to target values of terpene lactones, compliance to target values of ginkgolic acids, dosage per unit in milligrams (mg), duration of use, interactions with other drugs, contraindications, adverse effects and daily defined dose costs. In the next step, these data were compared in the following form: Total preparations versus preparations with drug approval versus dietary supplements. Almost without exception, the results indicate a pharmaceutical reliability of the preparations with drug approval and a dubious reliability of the preparations marketed as dietary supplements. Thus, ginkgo preparations marketed as dietary supplements appear to have an economic rather than a medical focus. We discuss the evidence of efficacy, and other criteria mentioned above, to evaluate the adequacy of the costs for the statutory health insurance that pay for preparations with drug approval in Germany. From the analysis of our results it is very doubtful that ginkgo biloba extract preparations of the food industry have any health benefit. It must be evaluated whether prohibition of selling ginkgo biloba extract as a dietary supplement is an option.